Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

MATTERS OF SUBSISTENCE, ETC. 762

MEAL-KENT.

fend himself or annoy his adversary. 4 Bl. Conim. 205. Every person who unlawfully and mali ciously deprives a human being of a member of his body, or disables, disfigures, or ren ders it useless, or cuts or disables the tongue, or puts out an eye, or slits the nose, ear, or lip, is guilty of mayhem. Pen. Code Cal. §203. MAYHEMAVIT. Maimed. This is a term of art which cannot be supplied in plead ing by any other word, as mutilavit, trunca vit, etc. 3 Thorn. Co. Litt. 548; 7 Mass 247. MAYN. L. Fr. A hand; handwriting. Britt. e. 28. MAYNOVER. L. Fr. A work of the hand; a thing produced by manual labor. Yearb. M. 4 Edw. HI. 38. MAYOR. The executive head of a mu nicipal corporation; the governor or chief magistrate of a city. MAYOR'S COURT. A court established in some cities, in which the mayor sits with the powers of a police judge or committing magistrate in respect to offenses committed within the city, and sometimes with civil jurisdiction in small causes, or other special statutory powers. MAYOR'S COURT OF LONDON. An inferior court having jurisdiction in civil cases where the whole cause of action arises within the city of London. MAYORALTY. The office or digni*v of a mayor. MAYORAZGO. In Spanish law. The right to the enjoyment of certain aggregate property, left with the condition thereon im posed that they are to pass in their integrity, perpetually, successively to the eldest son. Schm. Civil Law, 62. MAYORESS. The wife of a mayor. MEAD. Ground somewhat watery, not plowed, but covered with grass and flowers. Enc. Lond. MEADOW. A tract of low or level land producing grass which is mown for hay. Webster. A tract which lies above the shore, and is overflowed by spring and extraordinary tides only, and yields grasses which are good for hay. 34 Conn. 429. MEAL-RENT. A rent formerly paid in meal.

MATTERS OP SUBSISTENCE FOB MAN. This phrase comprehends all articles or things, whether animal or vegetable, Hy ing or dead, which are used for food, and whether they are consumed in the form in which they are bought from the producer or are only consumed after undergoing a process of preparation, which is greater or less, ac cording to the character of the article. 19 Grat. 813. Maturiora aunt vota mulierum quam virorum. 6 Coke, 71. The desires of women are more mature than those of men; i. e., women arrive at maturity earlier than men. MATURITY. In mercantile law. The time when a bill of exchange or promissory note becomes due. Story, Bills, § 329. MAUGRE. L. Fr. In spite of; against the will of. Litt. § 672. MAUNDY THURSDAY. The daypre ceding Good Friday, on which princes gave alms. MAXIM. An established principle or proposition. A principle of law universally admitted, as being a correct statement of the law, or as agieeable to natural reason. Coke defines a maxim to be "conclusion of reason," and says that it is so called "quia maxima ejus dignitas et certissima auctorU tas, et quod maxime omnibus probetur." Co. litt. lla. He says in another place: "A maxime is a proposition to be of all men confessed and granted without proofe, argu ment, or discourse." Id. 67a. The maxims of the law, in Latin, French, and English, will be found distributed through this book in their proper alphabet ical order. Maxime paci sunt contraria vis et injuria. The greatest enemies to peace are force and wrong. Co. Litt. 1616. Maximus erroris populus magister. Bacon. The people is the greatest master of error. "MAY," in the construction of public statutes, is to be construed "must" in all cases where the legislature mean to impose a posi tive and absolute duty, and not merely to give a discretionary power. 1 Pet. 46, 64; 3 Hill, 612, 615. MAYHEM. In criminal law. The act of unlawfully and violently depriving another of the use of such of his members as may render him less able, in fighting, either to de

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